Shopping

This aesthetically pleasing shopping center is worth visiting simply to marvel at the modern architecture. There are over 200 shops targeting the entire family, including major department stores such as The Bay and Walmart. Parents can shop in peace; babysitting is offered in a delightful YMCA play area. Other mall services include stroller and wheelchair loan, meeting rooms and family changing areas. One reason to choose Place d'Orléans over other Ottawa shopping areas is the ample parking.

If watches are more than just time display for you, then check out the latest watch collection at Watch It! This popular chain provides the perfect choice to accessorize your wrist. Their store at Bayshore Shopping Centre showcases esteemed brands like Citizen, Fossil, Oakley, Guess, Kenneth Cole, DKNY and host of others. Watches of every make and every style are available to suit any individual choice. While you check these, you are sure to be smitten by the glaring collection of uber sunglasses. D&G, Versace, RayBan and Ryders; wear these for that ultra-cool look. So come by and create an impressionable fashion statement.

This small shop in Navan village is a must-stop for food lovers and especially for connoisseurs of hot sauces and salsas. They sell more than 300 varieties of these spicy condiments, including such exotic brands as Joe Chilihead, Blair's Death and Ring of Fire. Besides hot sauces and salsas, they also offer a wide variety of dried chili peppers and BBQ sauces. The staff are knowledgeable about their stock and will even provide recipe ideas if needed.

This center is quite popular with cinema-goers and shoppers alike. As well as unique specialty shops, the mall boasts popular chain stores like Toys 'R Us, Club Monaco, The Gap, Athlete's World and Sport Chek. Sears and The Bay are the two main department stores. Located off the Queensway at St Laurent Boulevard, the shopping center is only a few minutes' drive from downtown Ottawa. Public transit also stops outside. See the website to know more.

Walking into the Rideau Bakery is like walking into a time warp. To the left, chrome stools with powder-blue leather covers line up along a silver coffee bar. To the right is a lengthy counter displaying fresh baked goods, including everything from poppy seed cookies to pumpernickel bread. The back wall offers a limited selection of groceries. Whether they eat in or take out, people just keep coming back for more baked goodies. Party platters with fresh vegetables are now available.

This discount bookstore is a real find here in Ottawa. Publisher's clearances and university trade presses make up the bulk of the selection, which is neatly organized into separate sections. All titles are 30 to 90 per cent off their listed price. This is not a store you would go to in search of a specific book; you'll definitely need time to browse. A large selection of classics, self-help and historical non-fiction books is also available.

Ma Cuisine is a store that is much more than pots and pans. The spacious warehouse-style building stocks all the gadgets, glassware and cookbooks you need for a functional and funky kitchen. You will find perfect gift ideas for the person in your life who goes the extra mile in the kitchen; these include all the tools for a backyard barbecue including brightly colored plastic dishes and industrial strength flippers and forks. Located on the corner of Dalhousie and Murray streets, it is just steps away from all the action in the Byward Market.

You may have an urge to stretch out and take a nap on one of the beautiful rugs adorning the floor of this store as piles of gorgeous hand woven rugs call out for a stroke of the hand. Located in the Byward Market, the store has an excellent reputation for selling the best quality rugs available, and you are encouraged to stop in and browse. The owners are also committed to fair trade practices, meaning that their suppliers overseas get a fair price for their exquisite craft and that their working conditions are monitored.

This specialty bookstore is a great place to browse and grab some peace and quiet. You will be inspired and informed by the many books and the complete video collection on health and healing, spirituality, psychology and a whole lot more. A couch at the back of the store encourages quiet reading and relaxing. The store also sells jewelry, cards, tarot, calendars, yoga accessories and a large collection of alternative magazines.

The Herongate Mall was built in 1981 in Ottawa, Ontario. Today it has very few shops and establishments left on its premises, such as Food Basics, Subway and Pharma Plus as other retailers have moved into the newer malls cropping up on elsewhere. The mall is generally visited by those on a budget.

You will start to feel healthy the moment you walk in the door of this organic and natural food store, which is well stocked with fresh produce, bulk spices, grains, breads and much more. A great selection of natural beauty products is also tempting. The staff is very knowledgeable and happy to give advice. Parking is scarce around Main and Hazel, so be prepared to drive around the block a few times. Absolutely no meat or meat by-products are sold here, but there is a good selection of eggs and dairy.

Canada's oldest department store, incorporated in 1670 when a royal charter was granted by King Charles II, is alive and well in the new millennium. The Rideau Centre location has just about every department imaginable: beauty salon, dry cleaners, optical center, watch repair, wigs, souvenirs, restaurant, name-brand fashions, cosmetics and gift registry. A solarium passage over Rideau Street allows shoppers to enter the store on the second floor. Ground level entrances lead to the Byward Market. Another Bay store is located in the St-Laurent Shopping Centre.